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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · fine · mouse · bore · drill · mug · court · spring

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. court — for sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. spring — of water
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bore — to drill
  9. drill — army training
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. court — of a king
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spring — the season
  21. drill — the tool
  22. spring — a coil
  23. court — of law
  24. fine — a penalty

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