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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. game — a match
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. game — wild animals
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. hide — to keep secret

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