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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — money
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. roll — a cake
  6. cue — a signal
  7. roll — a list
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rest — a break
  13. cue — a hint
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ruler — for measuring

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