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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. perch — the fish
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fine — all right
  18. toast — bread
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kick — in football
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. sharp — clever

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