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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bore — to drill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mug — to rob
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a face
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — to sink
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. season — of the year
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. scale — in music

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