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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mug — a face
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. face — to point toward
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bore — to tire
  7. track — a path
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pop — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tear — to rip
  17. snap — to click
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pop — to visit
  21. face — to confront
  22. track — a song
  23. pop — soda
  24. track — to keep track

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