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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pop — music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bore — to drill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. craft — boats
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. drill — army training
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. drill — the tool

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