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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mark — a grade
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — in football
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. charge — in control
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — in cards
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. hand — help

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