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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fine — all right
  8. object — a thing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. staff — employees
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. bound — certain
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. patient — a sick person

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