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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — the animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cap — of ice
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. shower — rain
  24. lie — an untruth

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