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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. firm — decided
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. spring — of water
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. firm — a company
  16. spring — the season
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. firm — steady
  23. snap — to click
  24. spring — a coil

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