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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ground — crushed
  4. drill — army training
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. season — of the year
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. season — in sport
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bore — to drill
  14. branch — a division
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ground — the earth
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ground — a position
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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