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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bore — to tire
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rest — a break
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. present — a gift
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. prune — to trim
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wound — an injury
  24. prune — to trim

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