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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — an aim
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — a company
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bore — to tire
  13. degree — an amount
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. object — to protest
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rock — music
  21. object — a thing
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. firm — decided
  24. rock — a stone

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