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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rash — hasty
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. press — to push
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bore — to tire
  17. press — a publisher
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. vault — a safe
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. press — newspapers
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rash — a series

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