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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bore — to drill
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pass — a permit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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