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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. plane — a tool
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bank — for money
  9. clip — a video
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. content — the amount
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. content — happy
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — for money
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. object — an aim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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