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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 116 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: key · clip · kick · hide · stock · bore · craft · wax

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. clip — to cut
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stock — shares
  6. key — for a lock
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. kick — in football
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. craft — boats
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stock — goods
  17. wax — to grow
  18. clip — for paper
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. key — in music
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. clip — a video

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