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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cell — in biology
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ball — a dance
  16. present — there
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lean — thin
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — music
  23. present — a gift
  24. ball — a round shape

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