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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. object — to protest
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — a permit
  11. object — a thing
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wound — an injury
  21. object — an aim
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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