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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. ground — crushed
  5. season — of the year
  6. ground — a position
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mug — a face
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bore — to tire
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — to rob

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