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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mug — to rob
  4. shower — rain
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mug — a cup
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. craft — boats
  16. drill — a practice
  17. swing — music
  18. chair — a leader
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. shower — to wash
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mug — a face
  24. swing — to play on

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