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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. foot — a measure
  8. suit — in cards
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cell — a phone
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bank — for money
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — clothes
  20. row — a line
  21. snap — to click
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — in a prison

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