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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — shares
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mug — a face
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bound — certain
  14. stock — goods
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bound — tied together

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