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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.

Words on the sheet
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: pit · rush · kick · arm · row · cabinet · lie · current

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — of water
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — hurry

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