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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bound — certain
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bore — to tire
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — clothes
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — in football
  16. snap — to click
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bound — tied together
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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