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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ground — a position
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. saw — the tool
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. saw — the tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — the earth
  19. hand — in cards
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hand — help

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