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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kick — in football
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cue — for pool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cue — a signal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — shares
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stock — goods
  15. lean — thin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. stock — a soup base

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