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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. kick — in football
  10. bore — to drill
  11. vault — a safe
  12. club — for golf
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kick — a thrill

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