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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. march — the month
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bound — certain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. march — the month
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. march — music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a round shape

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