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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — a container
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bore — to tire
  8. field — a subject
  9. rush — hurry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. field — farmland
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wind — moving air
  19. field — for sport
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rush — to hurry

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