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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bank — for money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. drill — a practice
  11. spell — a short time
  12. drill — army training
  13. spell — letters
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. bank — of a river
  21. degree — from a university
  22. spell — magic
  23. degree — an amount
  24. stand — to bear

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