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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. kick — in football
  3. rash — a series
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. kick — with a leg

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