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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. shower — to wash
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. shower — rain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — the time now
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pop — music
  16. present — there
  17. land — a country
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. present — a gift
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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