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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. capital — a city
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. staff — employees
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fall — the season
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kick — in football
  16. rest — a break
  17. capital — money
  18. rock — music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rest — what's left
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. capital — a big letter

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