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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — to recline
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. bat — the animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. row — a line
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. row — to paddle
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rock — music

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