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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 120 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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spring — of water
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — to tire
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stock — shares
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bound — certain
  15. charge — in control
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bound — obliged
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. spring — the season

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