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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 120 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: bore · kick · court · leaves · nail · pit · content · rock

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. court — of law
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — to drill
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. court — of a king
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rock — music
  15. content — happy
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. court — for sport
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — the amount
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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