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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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