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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bound — tied together
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. object — a thing

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