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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: bore · kid · bound · stick · wind · bay · ball · ruler

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to tire
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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