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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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. game — a kind of play
  4. firm — a company
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bore — to tire
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — steady
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — to drill
  12. game — a match
  13. net — after costs
  14. bound — certain
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — music
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. net — in sport
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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