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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. present — the time now
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fall — to drop
  6. court — for sport
  7. mug — a face
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. court — of law
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. court — of a king
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fall — the season
  15. firm — a company
  16. date — the fruit
  17. firm — decided
  18. mug — a cup
  19. present — a gift
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fall — to drop

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