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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — a path
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — a song
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cap — a hat
  13. kick — in football
  14. rule — government
  15. cap — a lid
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rule — a law

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