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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — thin
  3. staff — employees
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rest — a break
  22. present — there
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — the time now

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