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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.

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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 · firm · kick · key · ruler · stock · snap · march

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. march — the month
  4. key — the most important part
  5. march — music
  6. key — in music
  7. march — the month
  8. kick — in football
  9. bore — to tire
  10. firm — decided
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. firm — steady
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stock — shares
  19. firm — a company
  20. snap — to click
  21. stock — goods
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bore — gave birth

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