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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. roll — a list
  3. drill — army training
  4. board — to get on
  5. dip — to sink
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — the time now
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bat — the animal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — to drill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bore — to tire
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. roll — a cake
  24. lash — to lash out

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