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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. shower — rain
  5. fine — all right
  6. plane — a tool
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. foot — a measure
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bore — to tire
  15. shower — to wash
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — high quality

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