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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fine — high quality
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. can — a tin
  9. fine — all right
  10. content — happy
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bore — to drill
  13. swing — music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — the amount
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. can — a tin
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — to play on

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