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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fall — the season
  3. swing — to play on
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fall — to drop
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — boats
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. swing — music
  16. kick — in football
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cue — for pool

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