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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. row — a line
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — to drill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — to paddle
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — a subject
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rest — what's left
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. deal — to handle
  15. capital — money
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. field — for sport
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. capital — a city
  21. rest — a break
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. deal — a big deal
  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