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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. row — to paddle
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bore — to tire
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — ground
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. shower — to wash
  16. land — to come down
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. land — a country
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. board — a committee
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. deal — to handle
  23. shower — rain
  24. row — a line

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