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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. land — a country
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. season — of the year
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ground — a position
  16. land — ground
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. land — to come down
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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