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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — happy
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — the amount
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mate — a partner
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mate — a friend

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