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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spell — letters
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — to sink
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. spell — magic
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. arm — a part of something

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