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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bore — to drill
  4. track — a song
  5. game — wild animals
  6. track — a path
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — a break
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rest — what's left
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lean — thin
  20. game — a match
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. can — a tin

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