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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pop — soda
  4. stand — to bear
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. snap — to click
  11. march — music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. pop — music
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. firm — steady
  24. deal — to handle

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