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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wake — a trail
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. snap — to click
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. firm — a company
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — decided
  13. stock — goods
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — shares
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. date — the fruit

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