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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. toast — bread
  3. clip — a video
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. clip — to cut
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. roll — a cake
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. squash — to crush
  15. roll — a list
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. branch — a division
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rush — hurry
  24. squash — the sport

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