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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fine — all right
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — shares
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. board — a committee
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bound — certain
  18. snap — to click
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stock — goods
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bound — tied together

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