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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cold — not warm
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rush — hurry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stand — to bear
  24. date — on the calendar

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