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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. staff — a stick
  3. kick — in football
  4. mug — to rob
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. deal — to handle
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bass — low music
  11. mug — a face
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chest — a box
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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