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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — shares
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stock — goods
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ground — a position
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stock — a soup base

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