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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. present — there
  3. cap — a lid
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — a tin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. present — the time now
  12. can — a tin
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. kick — in football
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — to fit
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. sharp — clever
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cap — of ice

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