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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. march — music
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rock — a stone
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rest — a break
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. perch — for a bird

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