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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · sharp · calf · toast · kick · pass · band · rock

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pass — a permit
  7. band — a ring
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pit — in a race
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. toast — bread
  22. pit — a hole
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pass — to succeed

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