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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — in a race
  17. present — the time now
  18. kick — in football
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. charge — in control
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. charge — electricity

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