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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — to drill
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rest — what's left
  6. club — for dancing
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for golf
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. row — a line
  13. bore — to tire
  14. club — a group
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. row — to paddle
  24. ball — a great time

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