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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — completely
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — of water
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — a position
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. spring — a coil
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spring — the season
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. plane — a tool

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