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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. season — of the year
  15. fine — all right
  16. date — the fruit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. season — in sport
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bound — certain
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — a penalty

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