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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wake — a trail
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — to tire
  10. chip — for betting
  11. toast — bread
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mate — a partner
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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