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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — a law
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — to tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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