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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. last — to go on
  11. toast — bread
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. spring — the season
  16. last — finally
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. shower — rain
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fine — high quality
  23. last — final
  24. fine — all right

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