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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stock — shares
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. plane — a tool
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mine — for digging

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