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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chest — a box
  3. mark — a grade
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bore — to drill
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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