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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. firm — steady
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. rock — a stone
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — all right
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rock — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. kid — child
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — high quality

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