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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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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: kid · row · rock · plane · staff · object · fine · kick

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fine — high quality
  5. staff — employees
  6. object — to protest
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. kid — to tease
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kick — in football
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. staff — employees
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. row — a line
  17. kid — child
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. object — an aim
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rock — music
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fine — all right

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