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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cue — a hint
  6. field — a subject
  7. kick — in football
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. field — farmland
  12. cue — a signal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. field — for sport
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cue — for pool
  24. leaves — to go away

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