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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mate — a partner
  8. object — to protest
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bore — to drill
  11. snap — to click
  12. object — an aim
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. object — a thing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — to hit hard

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