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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bore — to drill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. present — the time now
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. face — to confront
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. present — there
  16. suit — to fit
  17. face — to point toward
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. suit — in cards
  20. present — a gift
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. date — the fruit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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