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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. band — a ring
  9. kid — child
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. tube — the underground
  12. kid — to tease
  13. mug — to rob
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. band — a music group
  16. bore — to tire
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mug — a face
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. tube — a container
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mug — a cup

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