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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bass — the fish
  6. cell — in biology
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mug — a face
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mug — to rob
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bass — low music
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mug — a cup
  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