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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — in cards
  9. march — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cold — an illness
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. march — the month
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. can — to be able to

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