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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. chest — of your body
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. scale — in music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hand — in cards
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chest — a box
  19. wind — moving air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. chest — of your body

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