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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: can · staff · mouse · game · bore · toast · kick · trunk

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — employees
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. game — a match
  18. bore — to drill
  19. can — to be able to
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mouse — the animal

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