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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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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: content · club · can · prune · foot · kick · bore · mark

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — in football
  5. club — a group
  6. content — the amount
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — to tire
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. club — for dancing
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mark — a trace
  15. prune — to trim
  16. content — happy
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for golf
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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