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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bore — to tire
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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