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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.

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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mate — to breed
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rest — a break
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to click
  12. kick — in football
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. chest — a box
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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