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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. game — a match
  3. pit — in a race
  4. game — wild animals
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — low music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the fish
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bore — to tire
  20. toast — bread
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pit — a hole

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