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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. rest — a break
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lie — to recline
  14. board — to get on
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bat — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. row — to paddle
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — to drill

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