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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mug — a cup
  4. race — humankind
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mug — to rob
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mug — a face
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. race — a contest
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. scale — size or range
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — in music

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