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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — a lid
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. cap — of ice
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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