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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: kick · drill · bore · cue · tear · foot · ruler · mouse

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. drill — the tool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kick — in football
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. tear — from crying
  21. drill — a practice
  22. cue — a hint
  23. tear — to rip
  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