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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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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: drill · cabinet · pass · temple · bore · cell · cap · stick

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to drill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. drill — army training
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cell — a phone
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cell — in a prison

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