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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 120 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. degree — an amount
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. degree — from a university
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. court — for sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. degree — temperature
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bass — the fish
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bass — low 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