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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. board — to get on
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. content — happy
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. file — a document
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — the amount
  17. file — a line of people
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. file — a tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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