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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. clip — to cut
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — completely
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. clip — for paper
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. clip — a video

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