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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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Word bank
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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: mug · rush · drill · bore · fall · kid · foot · bass

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. drill — a practice
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bore — to drill
  8. drill — the tool
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. drill — army training
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mug — a face
  19. fall — the season
  20. kid — child
  21. bass — low music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fall — to drop

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