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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rash — hasty
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bore — to tire
  8. plane — a tool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — to tease
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — a series
  22. kid — child
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rash — on the skin

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