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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a line of people
  18. wake — a trail
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — a part of something

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