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

Word bank: present · pass · pit · bore · club · kick

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. present — a gift
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — the time now
  7. kick — in football
  8. present — there
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. club — for golf
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pass — a permit
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pit — in a race
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pit — a hole

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