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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. object — a thing
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — to protest
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. clip — a video
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. clip — to cut
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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