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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. shower — rain
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — a tool
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lean — thin
  17. fine — all right
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. vault — a safe

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