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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: object · mine · leaves · hand · mug · kick · craft · cap

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — boats
  5. mug — a face
  6. cap — a hat
  7. object — a thing
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hand — help
  16. mine — for digging
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mug — to rob
  21. craft — a skill
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hand — in cards

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