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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. last — to go on
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — a face
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. tear — from crying
  12. last — finally
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. last — final
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mug — to rob

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