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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. deal — to handle
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — in cards
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. branch — a division
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — clothes
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bore — to drill
  24. deal — a big deal

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