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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — low music

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