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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. arm — part of the body
  3. mug — a cup
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bore — to tire
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. shower — rain
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. snap — to click
  20. mug — a face
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. arm — a part of something
  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