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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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 — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. spell — a short time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spell — magic
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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