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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. shower — to wash
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mine — for digging
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. shower — rain
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. nail — on a finger

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