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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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. last — to go on
  9. pit — a hole
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. last — finally
  15. tube — the underground
  16. last — final
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. tube — a container
  23. staff — a stick
  24. racket — a loud noise

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