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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mug — a cup
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. court — for sport
  5. pit — in a race
  6. court — of law
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. court — of a king
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. roll — a list
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a face
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. object — to protest

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