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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: present · shower · kick · pit · bore · leaves · key · lash

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pit — a hole
  4. shower — rain
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pit — in a race
  8. key — in music
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bore — to tire
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. shower — to wash
  17. key — the most important part
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bore — to drill
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lash — to lash out

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