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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spring — of water
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. march — music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — for light
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spring — a coil
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bulb — for light
  17. spring — the season
  18. march — the month
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. suit — in cards
  23. march — the month
  24. suit — to fit

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