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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: ball · bore · hand · fine · staff · ruler · can · kick

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bore — to tire
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kick — in football
  12. ball — a dance
  13. hand — in cards
  14. staff — a stick
  15. hand — help
  16. can — to be able to
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — all right
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. staff — employees
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — a penalty

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