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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. club — for golf
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mate — a partner
  9. hand — help
  10. mug — to rob
  11. club — a group
  12. mug — a face
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mug — a cup
  15. firm — a company
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. row — a line
  22. mate — a friend
  23. firm — decided
  24. mate — to breed

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