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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. net — after costs
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bound — obliged
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rest — a break
  14. bound — certain
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bore — to tire
  18. branch — a division
  19. rush — hurry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. net — in sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. net — for catching
  24. bore — to drill

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