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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hand — in cards
  4. cap — of ice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — to go on
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bore — to tire
  11. hand — help
  12. last — final
  13. rock — music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cap — a lid
  24. last — finally

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