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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pass — a permit
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. branch — a division
  10. staff — employees
  11. ground — crushed
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. ground — a position
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. row — a line
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to tire

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