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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. spring — of water
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pop — music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pop — to visit
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spring — the season
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a hole
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — soda
  24. plane — an aircraft

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