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

Word bank: fine · plane · capital · kick · bore · spell · arm · pass

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fine — all right
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kick — in football
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spell — letters
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pass — a permit
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. capital — a city
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. capital — money
  24. arm — part of the body

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