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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mark — a trace
  9. staff — employees
  10. fall — the season
  11. bore — to drill
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. staff — employees
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. shower — rain
  24. bore — to tire

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