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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 quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rush — hurry
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — a price
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. kick — in football
  11. root — the cause
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. squash — to crush
  23. root — of a word
  24. squash — the sport

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