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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — a face
  6. ground — a position
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spell — magic
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ground — crushed
  14. sharp — clever
  15. spell — letters
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ground — the earth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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