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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.

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: leaves · suit · mark · wound · cabinet · game · kick · pound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. kick — in football
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wound — an injury
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wound — an injury
  20. game — a match
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — clothes

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