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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chair — a leader
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. kid — child
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kid — to tease
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mug — a face

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