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

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bore — to tire
  4. drill — army training
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ball — a great time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. board — to get on
  9. ball — a dance
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pound — a weight
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. drill — the tool
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — in music

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