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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pop — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pop — soda
  12. object — a thing
  13. pop — to visit
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. object — an aim
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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