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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. present — the time now
  18. bound — obliged
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. capital — a city
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. present — there
  23. capital — money
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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