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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ground — a position
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wind — moving air
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — crushed
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. chip — for betting
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. racket — a loud noise

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