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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. hand — help
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — a cake
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hand — in cards
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — a trace
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. suit — clothes
  16. chest — of your body
  17. firm — a company
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chest — a box
  20. roll — a list
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bore — to drill
  24. firm — decided

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