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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — to drill
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. club — a group
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bore — to tire
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — for golf
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lie — an untruth

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