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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 116 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. drill — army training
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bore — to tire
  10. drill — the tool
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — a skill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. drill — a practice

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