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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stem — to come from
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. march — the month
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stock — shares
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. march — music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — the month
  24. bowl — to roll

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