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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. court — of law
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — for sport
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. court — of a king
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. date — on the calendar

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