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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mug — a face
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — to wash
  8. drill — army training
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mug — a cup
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. drill — a practice
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — rain
  19. scale — in music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  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