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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. land — a country
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rule — government
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bore — to tire
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. land — ground
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. land — to come down
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. trunk — of a tree

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