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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — to tire
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — certain
  18. shower — rain
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. shower — to wash

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