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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. key — the most important part
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. charge — electricity
  9. saw — the tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. kid — to tease
  12. charge — in control
  13. row — to paddle
  14. season — in sport
  15. charge — a price
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kid — child
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. row — a line
  23. bore — to tire
  24. key — in music

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