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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. board — a committee
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. pass — a permit
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. snap — to click
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. board — to get on
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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