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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: ground · nail · rock · bay · rest · bore · bear · hand

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hand — help
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ground — a position
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rest — a break
  21. ground — the earth
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. hand — 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