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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rule — a law
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. rule — government
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to tire
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rule — to rule out

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