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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 the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. land — ground
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. branch — a division
  5. land — a country
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — decided
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. staff — employees
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. land — to come down
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bore — to tire
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. firm — a company
  22. staff — employees
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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