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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. court — of law
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. tear — to rip
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pound — a weight
  24. court — for sport

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