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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. capital — a city
  6. scale — in music
  7. ground — the earth
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. capital — money
  12. pop — music
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ground — a position
  17. pop — to visit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fine — all right
  24. suit — to fit

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