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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pound — a weight
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bore — to tire
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. staff — a stick
  24. kick — in football

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