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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — in cards
  9. board — to get on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kick — in football
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fine — high quality
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. suit — to fit

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