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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. firm — decided
  8. lie — to recline
  9. content — happy
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. firm — a company
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. kick — in football
  19. firm — steady
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. content — the amount
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stand — for spectators

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