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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 116 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. club — a group
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bore — to tire
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. club — for golf
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. club — for dancing
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — to pay attention

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