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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. race — humankind
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — to get on
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bore — to drill
  20. race — the arms race
  21. board — a committee
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. race — a contest
  24. mouse — for a computer

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