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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. roll — a list
  7. pop — music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pop — to visit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. roll — a cake
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pop — soda
  24. mate — to breed

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