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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wound — an injury
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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