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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pit — in a race
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pit — a hole
  14. tube — a container
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. tear — to rip
  24. foot — a measure

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