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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: spell · kick · bay · race · suit · tube · mark · bore

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. spell — magic
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — letters
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bore — to tire
  14. race — humankind
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. race — a contest
  18. spell — a short time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. race — the arms race
  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