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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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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: drill · mug · bore · leaves · spell · pop · season · net

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spell — a short time
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. season — in sport
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. net — in sport
  11. spell — letters
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spell — magic
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. season — of the year

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