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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hand — help
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stem — a stem cell

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