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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ground — the earth
  6. spring — a coil
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — a position
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. spring — the season
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — clothes
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spring — of water

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