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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: fall · deal · pop · kid · bore · bay · object · rock

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. object — an aim
  3. fall — the season
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rock — music
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. fall — to drop
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bore — to drill
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pop — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kid — child
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pop — soda

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