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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 124 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chest — a box
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — a committee
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chest — of your body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bound — certain
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bound — tied together
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bound — obliged
  13. scale — in music
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. season — in sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. scale — size or range
  19. vault — a safe
  20. board — to get on
  21. season — of the year
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bore — gave birth

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