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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 124 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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. date — the fruit
  3. mark — a grade
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mark — a trace
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — to handle
  10. squash — the sport
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — clever

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