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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bank — for money
  4. kick — in football
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — a permit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — in music
  14. court — of a king
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. court — of law
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. court — for sport
  24. bank — of a river

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