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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: last · ball · toast · kid · sharp · can · calf · kick

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. last — to go on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. last — final
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. can — a tin
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a dance
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. kid — child
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. last — finally
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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