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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 120 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: pit · drill · pass · bore · content · row · land · ball

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. land — to come down
  3. content — the amount
  4. land — ground
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. row — a line
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. drill — army training
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. land — a country
  22. drill — the tool
  23. content — happy
  24. bore — to tire

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