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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. tube — a container
  7. cap — a hat
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. lie — to recline
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cap — a lid
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. lie — an untruth

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