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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — in cards
  5. degree — from a university
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — government
  9. degree — an amount
  10. spring — the season
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. spring — a coil
  14. board — to get on
  15. pit — in a race
  16. suit — to fit
  17. degree — temperature
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — to hurry

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