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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — high quality
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitch — completely

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