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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bass — the fish
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tear — to rip
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mark — a grade

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