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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. object — to protest
  3. present — a gift
  4. object — a thing
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — an aim
  7. pound — a weight
  8. present — there
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. craft — boats
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. craft — a skill
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. present — the time now
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — to drill

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