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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pit — a hole
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fall — the season
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wound — an injury

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