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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. firm — a company
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. scale — in music
  8. club — a group
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — decided
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bore — to tire
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bore — to drill
  21. club — for golf
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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