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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bore — to tire
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rule — government
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — for a bird

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