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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. kick — in football
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mug — a cup
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bound — certain
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mug — a face

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