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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: bore · nail · fork · swing · kick · cell · bank · lie

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — for money
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bore — to tire
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cell — a phone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. swing — music
  24. bank — of a river

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