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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bore — to tire
  9. roll — a cake
  10. season — of the year
  11. file — a tool
  12. season — in sport
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. squash — to crush
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. file — a document
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. roll — a list
  23. squash — the sport
  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