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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — soda
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. dip — to sink
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. present — a gift
  11. bore — to drill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. track — a path
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — in football
  16. bore — to tire
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pop — music
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. present — the time now

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