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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. land — a country
  9. bore — to drill
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pop — soda
  13. firm — decided
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — steady
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pit — in a race
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wake — a trail
  24. land — ground

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