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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mug — a cup
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mug — to rob
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. bark — to shout
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — part of the head
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mug — a face

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