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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · bank · perch · drill · cell · stick · pit · chip

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. bank — of a river
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cell — a phone
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. drill — the tool
  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