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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pop — soda
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mug — a cup
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — a weight
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — a face
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pop — music
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pound — for dogs

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