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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — money
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. degree — from a university
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. degree — an amount
  12. last — to go on
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. capital — a city
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. degree — temperature
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — to tire
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. craft — boats
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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