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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 120 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: kick · deal · bore · mine · mouse · squash · mark · cabinet

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mine — for digging
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. kick — in football
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mark — a trace
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mark — a grade

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