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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · snap · ruler · bore · wake · deal · arm · content

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. deal — to handle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — the amount
  6. wake — a trail
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. snap — to click
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. content — happy
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rock — music
  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