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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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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: file · pound · bore · kick · trunk · current · snap · safe

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bore — to tire
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pound — a weight
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. kick — in football
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. file — a document
  23. current — of water
  24. bore — gave birth

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