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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. press — to push
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. land — to come down
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. land — a country
  16. craft — boats
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. land — ground
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a skill

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