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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mug — a face
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rest — what's left
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fall — the season
  19. rest — a break
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — of water
  22. scale — size or range
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. current — electric

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