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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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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: bore · mine · date · foot · bear · nail · pit · club

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pit — a hole
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. club — a group
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. club — for golf
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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