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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 116 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: suit · chip · sharp · bore · kick · kid · nail · mark

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mark — a trace
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — in football
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — to tease
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bore — to drill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kid — child
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. sharp — clever

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