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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — employees
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fork — in a road
  14. staff — a stick
  15. spring — of water
  16. rock — music
  17. spring — a coil
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — the season
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. staff — employees

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