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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. club — a group
  5. bore — to drill
  6. club — for golf
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rule — government
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. toast — bread
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ruler — for measuring

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