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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. root — the cause
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. root — of a word
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mug — to rob
  17. scale — in music
  18. mug — a face
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bass — low music
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pit — a hole

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