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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. present — the time now
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. present — there
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. saw — the tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — army training
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bore — to drill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. hide — animal skin

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