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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. cap — a hat
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rash — a series
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bore — gave birth

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