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

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mate — a partner
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. present — the time now
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. present — a gift
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bore — to tire
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — there
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mate — a friend
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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