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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. court — for sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. court — of a king
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to tire
  23. court — of law
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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