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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pit — in a race
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — army training
  16. cap — a hat
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pound — a weight
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cap — of ice
  21. drill — a practice
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kick — a thrill

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