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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fall — the season
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fall — to drop
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — in a race
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bound — certain
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bound — obliged
  24. can — a tin

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