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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — in golf
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — a face
  8. land — a country
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — to rob
  11. drill — army training
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. land — ground
  14. drill — the tool
  15. swing — music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. land — to come down
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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