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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. last — finally
  4. object — a thing
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to confront
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. last — to go on
  11. fine — all right
  12. object — an aim
  13. rule — government
  14. suit — to fit
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ball — a dance
  19. last — final
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rule — a law
  24. object — to protest

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