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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. hand — help
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. march — music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. staff — a stick
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — to fit
  18. march — the month
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mate — a partner
  23. hand — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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