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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. suit — in cards
  3. drill — army training
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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