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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — money
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. drill — army training
  8. wound — an injury
  9. capital — a city
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wound — an injury
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — to tire
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. kick — in football
  24. bore — gave birth

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