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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. mark — a grade
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — to move gently

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