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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. capital — money
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bound — certain
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. capital — a city
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mate — to breed
  14. land — ground
  15. bound — obliged
  16. land — to come down
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bass — the fish
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. land — a country

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