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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: kick · lie · club · pass · lean · coach · can · stick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. club — for golf
  3. lie — to recline
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — a permit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. can — a tin
  21. lean — thin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. club — a group

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