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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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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: lean · kick · fan · hand · leaves · hide · cue · press

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. kick — in football
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lean — thin
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — to push
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cue — a signal

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