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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rule — government
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — shares
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rule — a law
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — goods
  18. bore — to tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pop — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pop — soda

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