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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. land — to come down
  3. bass — low music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — the fish
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lean — thin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. land — a country
  24. land — ground

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