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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: bore · nail · land · mouse · cue · drill · leaves · mug

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cue — a signal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cue — a hint
  19. drill — the tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — army training
  24. land — a country

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