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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. land — ground
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. staff — employees
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rule — government
  12. land — a country
  13. staff — a stick
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rule — a law
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. staff — employees
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. land — to come down
  22. bore — to tire
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rule — to rule out

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