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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — to come down
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. face — to confront
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — to tire
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stand — to bear
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. scale — size or range
  23. face — part of the head
  24. scale — in music

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