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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cue — for pool
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bore — to tire
  16. kick — in football
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. content — happy
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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