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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — to breed
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fall — the season
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. swing — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to tire
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mug — to rob

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