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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: tear · last · game · rule · coach · plane · bore · content

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. content — happy
  4. plane — a tool
  5. game — a match
  6. bore — to tire
  7. content — the amount
  8. last — final
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — finally
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tear — to rip
  18. last — to go on
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rule — a law

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