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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bound — tied together
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. object — an aim
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bound — certain
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bound — obliged
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. object — a thing

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