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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — to drill
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bass — low music
  7. clip — to cut
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. charge — in control
  13. ground — the earth
  14. charge — a price
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pit — a hole
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bore — to tire
  22. clip — a video
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bass — the instrument

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