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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — the season
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. capital — money
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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