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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fall — the season
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — clothes
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. rock — a stone
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pound — a weight
  24. deal — to handle

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