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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 120 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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. kick — in football
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — with a leg

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