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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: drill · bear · tube · pit · kick · calf · root · mine

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. kick — in football
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. root — of a word
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. calf — of the leg

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