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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. board — a committee
  3. mug — to rob
  4. kid — child
  5. staff — a stick
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. board — to get on
  8. mug — a face
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. season — of the year
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — goods
  16. tube — a container
  17. stock — shares
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mug — a cup
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. staff — employees

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