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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: wound · cabinet · kick · bore · face · suit · foot · sharp

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bore — to drill
  9. sharp — clever
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wound — an injury
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. face — to confront
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — part of the head
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. suit — to fit

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