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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rash — hasty
  9. capital — money
  10. bore — to drill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. capital — a city
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rash — a series
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wound — an injury

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