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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fine — all right
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — a country
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — boats
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — to come down
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. land — ground
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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