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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — to sink
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bore — to drill
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. vault — a safe
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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