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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tear — from crying
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. tear — to rip
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bore — to tire
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tear — from crying
  20. drill — army training
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — a container
  24. leaves — lets stay

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