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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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. kick — in football
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pound — a weight
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — of water
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — for golf
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for dancing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. club — a group
  19. spring — the season
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kid — to tease
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kid — child

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