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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 120 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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — moving air
  8. key — for a lock
  9. chest — a box
  10. key — in music
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. drill — army training
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chest — of your body
  18. current — of water
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — the animal

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