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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bore — to tire
  3. capital — a city
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. capital — money
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stock — goods
  12. race — a contest
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — help
  20. kick — in football
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. race — humankind

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