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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bore — to drill
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lean — thin
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lean — to bend
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rest — what's left
  13. track — to keep track
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. object — to protest
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. game — a match
  19. track — a path
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. object — a thing
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. object — an aim

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