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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. fine — high quality
  3. field — for sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ground — a position
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. field — farmland
  19. fine — all right
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. ground — crushed
  22. field — a subject
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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