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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. lean — thin
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pass — a permit
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. game — a match
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fan — a supporter

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