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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bore — to drill
  3. staff — employees
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fine — high quality
  6. spring — the season
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. band — a ring
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. band — a music group
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fine — all right
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — gave birth

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