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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spell — magic
  4. rest — what's left
  5. spell — a short time
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. spell — letters
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rest — a break
  17. charge — in control
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — for dancing
  23. charge — a price
  24. ruler — a monarch

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