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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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rock — music
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bank — for money
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. rock — a stone
  16. clip — a video
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wave — of the sea

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