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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 120 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. kick — in football
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chest — of your body
  8. firm — a company
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. firm — steady
  13. rule — a law
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. court — for sport
  16. bore — to tire
  17. firm — decided
  18. chest — a box
  19. wound — an injury
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. court — of law
  23. court — of a king
  24. bore — gave birth

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