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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rock — music
  9. rule — a law
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chest — a box
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rule — government
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chest — of your body

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