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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. rest — what's left
  8. drill — the tool
  9. season — of the year
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rest — a break
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. object — a thing
  21. drill — army training
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a horse colour

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