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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bore — to drill
  4. firm — decided
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mine — for digging
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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