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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. row — a line
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cap — a hat
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. row — to paddle
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — happy
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cap — of ice

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