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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · kick · file · present · deal · fan · sharp · mug

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. file — a line of people
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. present — there
  5. file — a tool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mug — a face
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mug — to rob
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. file — a document
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. present — the time now
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lean — thin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. present — a gift
  24. deal — an agreement

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