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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wind — moving air
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. roll — a list
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chest — a box
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — a company
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chest — of your body
  20. roll — a cake
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bore — to drill
  24. calf — a young animal

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