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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 124 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. game — wild animals
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bore — to tire
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a line
  17. game — a match
  18. clip — to cut
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. game — a kind of play

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