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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. degree — temperature
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. march — the month
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — a price
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. march — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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