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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: firm · ground · toast · arm · bore · wound · rash · wave

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ground — the earth
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rash — a series
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — a position
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. toast — bread
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bore — gave birth

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