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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.

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: mug · lash · bore · drill · capital · pit · key · scale

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. drill — army training
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. capital — a city
  11. mug — to rob
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — size or range
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pit — in a race
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mug — a cup
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. capital — money
  24. drill — a practice

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