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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — to drill
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wound — an injury
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bore — to tire
  21. charge — a price
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. rest — what's left
  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