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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mate — to breed
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. kick — in football
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. content — happy
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mate — a partner
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bore — to tire
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. plane — in geometry

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