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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. kick — in football
  8. craft — boats
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. craft — a skill

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