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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a great time
  3. can — a tin
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. roll — a list
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kick — in football
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stock — shares
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tube — a container
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — to drill

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