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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. row — a line
  5. club — for golf
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. club — a group
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bore — to tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. row — to paddle
  24. lash — an eyelash

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