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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. mark — a grade
  3. season — in sport
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pop — to visit
  6. kick — in football
  7. pop — soda
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — ground
  18. lie — to recline
  19. land — a country
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. season — of the year

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