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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — in football
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mark — a grade
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. last — final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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