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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rash — hasty
  5. game — wild animals
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — help
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. game — a match
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bore — to tire

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