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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rest — what's left
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bore — to tire
  14. swing — to play on
  15. band — a ring
  16. key — for a lock
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. swing — music
  19. rest — a break
  20. band — a music group
  21. kick — in football
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. key — in 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