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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. drill — army training
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bear — the animal
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. drill — the tool

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