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

Word bank: fine · calf · march · current · present · kick · bore · wax

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. current — happening now
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. present — there
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. current — electric
  20. present — the time now
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. current — of water
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. present — a gift

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