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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: bore · nail · fork · swing · kick · cell

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fork — in a road
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cell — a phone
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kick — in football

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