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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. board — to get on
  8. bore — to drill
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bore — to tire
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — in a road
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. kid — child
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. board — a committee
  24. fork — to eat with

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