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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. last — finally
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. object — a thing
  7. lean — thin
  8. last — final
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. object — an aim
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bound — certain
  16. last — to go on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. vault — a safe
  20. object — to protest
  21. bore — to drill
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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