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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. kick — in football
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — to come down
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. land — a country
  21. squash — to crush
  22. land — ground
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pass — to succeed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com