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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 seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mate — a partner
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. chest — a box
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. court — of a king
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lean — thin

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