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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. row — a line
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lie — to recline
  7. key — the most important part
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — in music
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — for a lock
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rule — government
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. row — to paddle

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