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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: lie · kick · rule · object · bowl · rock · track · march

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. object — a thing
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. object — an aim
  7. track — a song
  8. march — the month
  9. rule — a law
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rock — music
  15. track — a path
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — government
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bowl — a dish

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