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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. face — part of the head
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kick — in football
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. staff — employees
  11. kid — child
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rest — a break
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bore — to tire
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — a stick

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