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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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468
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: fine · plane · calf · kick · rest · mug · stick · wake

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mug — a face
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wake — a trail
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rest — a break
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kick — in football
  22. fine — all right
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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