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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. can — a tin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bore — to tire
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fall — to drop
  14. snap — to click
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fall — the season
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — music
  24. can — to be able to

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