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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bore — to tire
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. land — to come down
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — to drill
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mark — a trace
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. kick — in football
  22. vault — a safe
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. kick — a thrill

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