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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.

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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. kick — in football
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. swing — to play on
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hand — help
  15. swing — in golf
  16. hand — in cards
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. swing — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. tube — a container
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. toast — bread
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. tube — the underground

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