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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 116 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. board — to get on
  10. stock — shares
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wake — a trail
  13. board — a committee
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — in football
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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