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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. chair — a leader
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. row — a line
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — a supporter

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