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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bore — to tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bear — the animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. kick — in football

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