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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bore — to tire
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — after costs
  10. fall — to drop
  11. net — in sport
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bore — to drill
  14. net — for catching
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a list
  21. bound — obliged
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fall — the season
  24. suit — clothes

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