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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — in football
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stem — to come from
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — after costs
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rash — a series
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. net — for catching
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. net — in sport
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mate — a friend
  24. patient — a sick person

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