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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fine — all right
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bore — to drill
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. hand — help
  17. kick — in football
  18. bore — to tire

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