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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. net — for catching
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — a line
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bore — to tire
  14. net — after costs
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ball — a great time
  24. net — in sport

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