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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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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 · kick · foot · last · bore · fork · rule · squash

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fork — in a road
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rule — a law
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bore — to drill
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. present — there
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. present — a gift
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rule — government
  21. bore — to tire
  22. last — to go on
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. kick — with a leg

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