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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. cold — not warm
  8. dip — to sink
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — in control
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — to drill
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. charge — a price
  24. bore — to tire

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