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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bat — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rock — a stone
  14. spring — the season
  15. rule — government
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — a container
  21. spring — of water
  22. rock — music
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — a law

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