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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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bass — low music
  6. swing — music
  7. rest — a break
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — to tire
  12. swing — in golf
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fall — the season
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. racket — a loud noise

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