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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hand — help
  12. bore — to tire
  13. march — the month
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — a law
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wave — with your hand
  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