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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — to get on
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wind — moving air
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chest — a box
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — a committee
  16. spell — magic
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. chest — of your body
  19. firm — a company
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bore — to drill
  22. firm — decided
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. chest — of your 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