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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bound — certain
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — a list
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pop — soda
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. roll — a cake

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