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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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cue — a hint
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bank — of a river
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. shower — rain
  13. row — to paddle
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bank — for money
  19. cue — for pool
  20. row — a line
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bank — for money

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