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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: craft · fall · object · rule · kick · foot · clip · cabinet

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. object — a thing
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — government
  8. object — an aim
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fall — the season
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — to protest
  18. clip — a video
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. clip — for paper
  22. craft — boats
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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