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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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. row — to paddle
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a path
  8. content — happy
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — all right
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bore — to tire
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a song

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