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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. net — for catching
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. game — a match
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pound — a weight
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. net — after costs
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. game — wild animals
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pound — to hit hard

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