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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bore — to tire
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — all right
  5. kick — in football
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — to drill
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. track — a song
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rush — hurry
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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