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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a music group
  16. mark — a trace
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — a monarch

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