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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rash — a series
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bore — to tire

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