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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rule — government
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — to paddle
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rule — a law
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. club — for golf
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. club — a group
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — a line
  24. ruler — for measuring

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