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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 116 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. spell — magic
  3. shower — rain
  4. object — an aim
  5. bore — to drill
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. spell — a short time
  11. object — a thing
  12. spell — letters
  13. object — to protest
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bore — gave birth

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