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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. band — a ring
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. band — a music group
  20. fine — all right
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bear — the animal

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