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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mark — a grade
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. face — to confront
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tube — a container
  17. face — to point toward
  18. tube — the underground
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — an injury

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