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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — crushed
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ground — the earth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. chest — a box
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lean — thin
  15. ground — a position
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bore — to drill
  18. snap — to click
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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