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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.

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: pound · pop · spring · bore · kick · cap · key · fan

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pop — soda
  4. spring — the season
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cap — a hat
  19. key — in music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. kick — in football

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