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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. spell — letters
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cold — not warm
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spell — magic
  24. bowl — to roll

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