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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fine — all right
  10. kick — in football
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. race — humankind
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cue — for pool

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