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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bound — certain
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bound — obliged
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pit — a hole
  14. can — to be able to
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. can — a tin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pop — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pit — in a race

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