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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — in football
  4. root — the cause
  5. march — music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. root — of a plant
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. march — the month
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — of the 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