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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 116 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. content — the amount
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — to fit
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. suit — in cards
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — happy
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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