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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 116 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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. pit — in a race
  3. shower — rain
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — a permit
  8. field — farmland
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. kick — in football
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — a hole
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — for sport
  24. mug — a cup

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