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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.

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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bore — to tire
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rash — a series
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — certain
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. temple — side of the head

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