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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — a contest
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wake — a trail
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. race — humankind
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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