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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ground — a position
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ground — the earth
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. shower — to wash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. shower — rain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bore — to tire
  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