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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. last — to go on
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. scale — size or range
  9. suit — to fit
  10. scale — in music
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. last — final
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — in cards
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — finally
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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