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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — a gift
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. present — the time now
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. game — a match
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — to fit
  16. present — there
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bore — to drill

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