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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stock — shares
  9. firm — steady
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stock — goods
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rest — a break
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bore — to tire
  23. firm — decided
  24. stock — a soup base

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