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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. content — the amount
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — clothes
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hand — help
  24. suit — in cards

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