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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. dip — to sink
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mine — for digging
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. present — the time now
  16. firm — a company
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. present — a gift
  19. perch — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — there
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. firm — decided
  24. bore — to tire

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