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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rash — hasty
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ground — a position
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bass — low music
  18. hand — help
  19. rash — a series
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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