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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. sharp — clever
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fine — all right
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fine — high quality
  20. shower — rain
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bore — to drill
  24. mate — to breed

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