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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. can — to be able to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — a tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a hole
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. content — happy

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