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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 120 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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — a trail
  7. chest — a box
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — thin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lean — to bend
  18. chest — of your body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cue — for pool

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