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

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. kick — in football
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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