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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 124 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — to recline
  8. roll — a list
  9. file — a document
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — government
  16. file — a line of people
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. file — a tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — a law
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a cake

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