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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rash — hasty
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rule — government
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rule — a law
  16. rash — a series
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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