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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 · arm · cell · firm · fork · bowl · nail · drill

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — a company
  5. cell — a phone
  6. firm — decided
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — in biology
  10. firm — steady
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. drill — the tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — in a road
  24. nail — for a hammer

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