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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 120 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. club — for golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — an injury
  7. spring — a coil
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. club — for dancing
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. club — a group
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. spring — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. spring — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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