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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — to drill
  3. swing — to play on
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bore — to tire
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. swing — music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rule — government
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. craft — boats
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. rule — a law

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