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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. degree — an amount
  4. tube — a container
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. tube — the underground
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bound — obliged
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bore — to drill

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