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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. object — a thing
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. track — a song
  6. mine — for digging
  7. charge — a price
  8. rush — hurry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — a path
  11. object — an aim
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. charge — in control
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. object — to protest
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bore — to tire

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