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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cold — an illness
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — a break
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ruler — a monarch

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