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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. club — for dancing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. club — a group
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. plane — a tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. capital — a city
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bore — to tire
  24. capital — money

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