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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. board — a committee
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — an aim
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. object — a thing
  13. board — to get on
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. drill — army training
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. drill — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. object — to protest
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hide — to keep secret

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