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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bound — tied together
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bound — certain
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bound — obliged
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. drill — the tool
  24. snap — to click

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