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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 120 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: object · kick · face · nail · craft · swing · bound · cap

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. bound — obliged
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. craft — boats
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — part of the head
  11. object — a thing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. object — to protest
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — an aim
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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