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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. snap — to click
  3. bore — to tire
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. face — to confront
  6. cell — in biology
  7. face — to point toward
  8. current — of water
  9. bore — to drill
  10. current — electric
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. current — happening now
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. cell — a phone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. suit — to fit

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