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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. kick — in football
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — the fish
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bank — of a river
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stand — to bear
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fine — all right

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