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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — a series
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rest — what's left
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. kick — in football
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — a break
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. drill — a practice

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