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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. chair — a leader
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. kick — in football
  23. deal — to handle
  24. sharp — exactly

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