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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rule — a law
  5. hand — help
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rule — government
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — in cards
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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