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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 ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — all right
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fan — a supporter

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