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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bore — to tire
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bore — gave birth

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