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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. bat — the animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. content — the amount
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fine — all right
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fine — high quality

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