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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bass — low music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bore — to tire
  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