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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rule — government
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — to tire
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — a law
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. plane — an aircraft

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