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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. last — finally
  6. club — a group
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. last — final
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. bore — to tire
  16. club — for dancing
  17. toast — bread
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. last — to go on
  22. club — for golf
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. toast — the most admired

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