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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — of a king
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. row — a line
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. court — of law
  18. pitch — completely
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kick — in football
  22. bore — to tire
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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