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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: mark · drill · wound · board · wave · bore · dip · kick

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. board — a committee
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bore — to tire
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. kick — in football
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wound — an injury
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. board — to get on
  24. wound — an injury

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