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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. drill — army training
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. firm — steady
  8. mark — a grade
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. drill — the tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bore — to tire
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. row — a line
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. firm — a company
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — a practice
  24. tube — a container

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