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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bore — to drill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — a weight
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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