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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · pitcher · kick · game · temple · coach · bore · kid

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. game — wild animals
  6. kid — to tease
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. game — a match
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. kick — in football
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kid — child
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rock — to move gently

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