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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bore — to drill
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bore — to tire
  7. suit — to fit
  8. board — a committee
  9. pop — music
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pound — a weight
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. prune — to trim
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pop — to visit
  18. board — to get on
  19. pop — soda
  20. suit — in cards
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. drill — army training
  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