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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spell — magic
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. spell — letters
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. spell — a short time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ball — a dance
  17. swing — to play on
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. firm — decided
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. vault — a safe
  24. firm — steady

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