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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bore — to tire
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fine — all right
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bass — low music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chest — of your body
  24. arm — part of the body

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