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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — a trace
  5. kid — to tease
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — in football
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kid — child
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chair — a leader
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. chair — a professorship

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