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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: kick · pitcher · pit · nail · degree · stand · current · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. current — electric
  3. kick — in football
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. degree — an amount
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pit — in a race
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bore — to drill

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