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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tube — a container
  6. bore — to tire
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. track — to keep track

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