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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chest — of your body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chest — of your body
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. chest — a box
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ground — crushed
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wind — moving air
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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