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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: can · spell · degree · kick · firm · bore · pit · hand

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hand — in cards
  3. degree — from a university
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a hole
  7. firm — a company
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — decided
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. kick — in football
  13. degree — temperature
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — steady
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. hand — help
  20. can — to be able to
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. can — a tin

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