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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — decided
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rock — a stone
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — steady
  9. chest — of your body
  10. land — to come down
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. land — ground
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. land — a country
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chest — a box
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — a company
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rock — music

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