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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fine — high quality
  3. swing — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. net — in sport
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. net — after costs
  12. swing — in golf
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. roll — a list
  16. track — a song
  17. fine — all right
  18. bore — to tire
  19. track — a path
  20. roll — a cake
  21. net — for catching
  22. bore — to drill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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