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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. march — music
  4. bore — to tire
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. march — the month
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — in control
  12. ball — a dance
  13. charge — electricity
  14. march — the month
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — a price
  18. rest — a break
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. ruler — a monarch

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