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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. roll — a list
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. can — a tin
  16. cell — in biology
  17. can — a tin
  18. season — in sport
  19. cell — a phone
  20. season — of the year
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. roll — a cake

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