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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a committee
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — to get on
  6. bore — to drill
  7. kid — to tease
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to tire
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kid — child
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. capital — a city

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