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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. capital — money
  3. spring — the season
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. spring — a coil
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — to handle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spring — of water
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bore — to tire
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. foot — a measure

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