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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rule — a law
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — to drill
  6. content — the amount
  7. rest — a break
  8. content — happy
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rule — government
  13. roll — a cake
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rush — hurry
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rest — what's left

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