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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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. bowl — to roll
  4. rash — hasty
  5. net — in sport
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rash — a series
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. net — for catching
  15. object — to protest
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — after costs
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. object — an aim
  22. cap — a lid
  23. object — a thing
  24. bore — gave birth

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