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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chair — a leader
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rash — hasty
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bore — to drill
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — a safe
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. plane — a tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. swing — music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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