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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rest — a break
  4. rule — government
  5. rest — what's left
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bore — to tire
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rule — a law
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. suit — in cards
  24. trunk — of a tree

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