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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 116 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: patient · squash · drill · dip · firm · mark · bark · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — the sport
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. squash — to crush
  6. dip — to sink
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. firm — a company
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. drill — the tool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bark — to shout
  24. drill — army training

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