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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. field — farmland
  5. clip — to cut
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — a tin
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. clip — for paper
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bore — to tire
  16. can — to be able to
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. clip — a video
  21. field — a subject
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chip — in a computer

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