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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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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: rest · object · foot · cabinet · bore · wind · firm · lie

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. object — to protest
  8. firm — steady
  9. object — an aim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — a thing
  14. firm — decided
  15. lie — to recline
  16. firm — a company
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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