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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cue — a hint
  12. last — to go on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. field — for sport
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — finally
  22. field — a subject
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. field — farmland

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