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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stock — goods
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — to tire
  15. hand — in cards
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. mate — to breed
  19. band — a music group
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hand — help
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — a friend

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