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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lean — thin
  3. stock — goods
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stock — shares
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to confront
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — an eyelash

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