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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wind — moving air
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — the season

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