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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — to drill
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. row — a line
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — music
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. rule — a law
  11. roll — a list
  12. tube — the underground
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mark — a trace
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rule — government
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rule — to rule out

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