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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. object — a thing
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. snap — to click
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wind — moving air
  17. object — an aim
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. object — to protest
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — in football
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — with a leg

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