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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. lean — to bend
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. band — a music group
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lean — thin
  24. band — a ring

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