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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · hide · wave · fine · stem · rock · march · mine

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mine — for digging
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. march — the month
  13. rock — music
  14. march — music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. kick — in football
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fine — all right
  24. rock — a stone

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