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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mate — a friend
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — an aim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rest — a break
  24. saw — the tool

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