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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. charge — in control
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. land — a country
  6. wake — a trail
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — electricity
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bore — to tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — ground
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. vault — a safe

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