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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. present — there
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. drill — a practice
  8. present — the time now
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. bore — to tire
  12. deal — to handle
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. present — a gift
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to drill
  22. drill — army training
  23. tube — a container
  24. deal — a big deal

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