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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: rule · drill · patient · pit · vault · bore · stick · row

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rule — a law
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rule — government
  13. bore — to drill
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bore — to tire
  21. row — to paddle
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pit — a hole
  24. drill — the tool

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