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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 116 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to tire
  4. object — a thing
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — the time now
  7. pit — a hole
  8. present — there
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wound — an injury
  11. object — an aim
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. present — a gift
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. object — to protest
  20. mug — a face
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. can — a tin

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