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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. spell — letters
  3. kick — in football
  4. charge — a price
  5. spell — magic
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spell — a short time
  10. last — to go on
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — finally
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. charge — in control
  16. spring — a coil
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. last — final
  24. suit — to fit

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