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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · arm · game · object · pound · foot · spring · bore

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. object — an aim
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. foot — a measure
  9. spring — of water
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bore — to tire
  12. present — a gift
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — a thing
  18. spring — the season
  19. present — there
  20. game — a match
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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