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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. rule — a law
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mine — for digging
  5. squash — the sport
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rule — government
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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