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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: dip · kick · rush · plane · racket · bore · object · wind

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — a tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wind — moving air
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wind — moving air
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — an aim
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. object — to protest
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. kick — in football
  24. dip — to sink

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