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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rash — hasty
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rash — a series
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rock — a stone
  9. land — to come down
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. scale — in music
  15. land — a country
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bore — to tire
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. land — ground
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rock — 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