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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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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: mug · kick · kid · lie · arm · rule · fine · wind

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. fine — high quality
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. kid — child
  9. wind — moving air
  10. kick — in football
  11. mug — to rob
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — to recline
  21. kid — to tease
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. wind — to turn a key

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