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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: ball · toast · bore · degree · nail · pop · pit · bear

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. toast — bread
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pop — music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bear — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — for a hammer

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