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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to drill
  3. season — of the year
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. drill — army training
  6. club — a group
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — a line
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — a break
  15. season — in sport
  16. club — for golf
  17. bore — to tire
  18. row — to paddle
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rest — what's left

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