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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: bore · dip · mug · chest · fall · suit · fan · rush

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chest — a box
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — a face
  9. fall — the season
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — to drill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fall — to drop
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — to fit
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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