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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: toast · bore · cold · calf · fine · kick · stick · current

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cold — an illness
  6. current — of water
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bore — to drill
  10. current — happening now
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. toast — bread
  14. cold — not warm
  15. current — electric
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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