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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — for paper
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. clip — a video
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. cap — a lid
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — the fish
  24. hide — animal skin

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