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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — the tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. date — the fruit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rock — music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bore — to tire
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. sharp — clever
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. dip — to sink
  21. drill — a practice
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. drill — army training
  24. coach — a trainer

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