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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bore — to tire
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rule — government
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. sharp — clever
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rule — a law
  24. bore — to drill

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