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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fall — the season
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. chest — a box
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bore — to tire
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. bore — to drill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — there

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