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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 · deal · can · kick · firm · trunk · spring · mug

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — a company
  7. kick — in football
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — to rob
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. deal — to handle
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bore — to drill
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. spring — the season
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — a face

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