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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.

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: march · lash · ground · kick · tube · nail · object · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. object — an aim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. object — to protest
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ground — a position
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ground — the earth
  17. march — the month
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ground — crushed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. object — a thing
  24. kick — with a leg

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