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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. band — a music group
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mine — for digging
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hand — help
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. band — a ring
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bore — to tire
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bore — gave birth

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