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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: jam · rule · object · racket · stick · lie · kick · kid

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. object — to protest
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kid — child
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. racket — for tennis

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