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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. court — of law
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to click
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. shower — rain
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — a skill
  21. court — of a king
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. court — for sport

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