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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bound — certain
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. hand — help
  23. lean — thin
  24. mate — to breed

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