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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — a measure
  5. spring — of water
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mug — a face
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wound — an injury
  18. spring — the season
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mate — a friend
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. patient — a sick person

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