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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stock — goods
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — an amount
  16. spell — letters
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stock — shares
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — magic
  24. degree — temperature

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