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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. suit — to fit
  12. kick — in football
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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