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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 116 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. kick — in football
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. staff — employees
  10. content — the amount
  11. object — to protest
  12. drill — army training
  13. object — a thing
  14. drill — the tool
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. drill — a practice
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. object — an aim
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. staff — a stick
  24. suit — in cards

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