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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pound — a weight
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. dip — to sink
  13. staff — employees
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chest — of your body
  19. staff — employees
  20. wake — a trail
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. racket — a loud noise

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