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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. row — a line
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bore — to drill
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. deal — to handle
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. toast — bread
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — in football

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