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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. can — a tin
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. kick — in football
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bore — to drill
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. degree — from a university
  22. squash — the sport
  23. can — to be able to
  24. squash — to crush

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