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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pop — soda
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fall — the season
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — for tennis

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