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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — the season
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fall — to drop
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — to recline
  11. dip — to sink
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — in cards
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fall — to drop
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — clothes
  24. safe — out of danger

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