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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. degree — temperature
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. chest — of your body
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bore — to tire
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chest — of your body
  15. degree — an amount
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chest — a box
  18. fine — all right
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. coach — a trainer

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