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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 124 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a great time
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ground — the earth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. ground — a position
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spell — letters
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — decided
  23. spell — a short time
  24. firm — a company

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