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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fall — the season
  3. bound — tied together
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bore — to tire
  9. current — happening now
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fall — to drop
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. band — a music group
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — in football
  17. current — electric
  18. band — a ring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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