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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bore — to drill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — the time now
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bore — to tire
  12. present — there
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rule — a law
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — a tin

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