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

Word bank: pass · kick · mug · trunk · club · mark · lean · snap

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. snap — to click
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. club — a group
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mug — a cup
  8. club — for dancing
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mark — a grade
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. kick — in football
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lean — thin
  24. mark — a trace

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