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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. swing — music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bat — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — to play on
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. suit — to fit
  17. swing — in golf
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. foot — a measure
  20. suit — in cards
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — part of the body

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