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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rock — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fine — high quality
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bore — to drill
  14. shower — rain
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. snap — to click
  17. rest — a break
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bore — to tire
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — gave birth

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