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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rest — a break
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mug — a face
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fall — the season
  15. face — to confront
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — with a leg

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