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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.

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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: arm · bore · nail · mug · kick · hide · pound · row

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pound — a weight
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mug — a face
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bore — to tire
  12. kick — in football
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. row — a line

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