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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. saw — the tool
  4. degree — an amount
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stand — to bear
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bore — to tire
  12. saw — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rule — government
  19. fork — in a road
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — for spectators

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