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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bore — to drill
  4. land — a country
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. board — to get on
  11. land — ground
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — a committee
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. date — the fruit
  19. land — to come down
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a flat piece

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