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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. face — to confront
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. face — part of the head
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rock — music
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fork — in a road

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