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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. firm — a company
  3. spring — the season
  4. suit — clothes
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. firm — decided
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — happening now
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. suit — in cards
  19. firm — steady
  20. current — electric
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bat — the animal
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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