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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pop — to visit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pop — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pop — soda
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. present — a gift
  20. toast — bread
  21. present — the time now
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. present — there
  24. date — on the calendar

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