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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. kick — in football
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — to tire
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. tube — the underground
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — in cards

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