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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ground — a position
  4. drill — army training
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — a gift
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ground — the earth
  13. present — there
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — to drill
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ground — crushed

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