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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — a series
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mate — a partner
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — a break
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. ground — a position
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — to tire

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