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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. object — a thing
  2. bore — to drill
  3. march — music
  4. object — an aim
  5. kick — in football
  6. net — for catching
  7. march — the month
  8. net — after costs
  9. bat — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bore — to tire
  15. press — newspapers
  16. march — the month
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. press — to push
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. calf — a young animal
  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