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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chest — a box
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. face — part of the head
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. shower — to wash
  7. face — to point toward
  8. season — of the year
  9. toast — bread
  10. season — in sport
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. face — to confront
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — completely
  24. shower — rain

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