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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — hasty
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — clever
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. root — of a word
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. current — of water
  12. root — the cause
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — electric
  17. kick — in football
  18. cue — a hint
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rash — a series
  24. kick — a thrill

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