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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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