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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bore — to drill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fall — the season
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rest — a break
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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