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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. present — a gift
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — the time now
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — there
  16. rule — government
  17. fall — the season
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rule — a law
  20. rest — a break
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fall — to drop

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