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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · rest · bore · pit · kick · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rest — a break
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rest — what's left
  13. toast — bread
  14. bore — to tire
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft

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