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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. fall — the season
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mine — for digging
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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