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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. staff — a stick
  9. perch — the fish
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ground — crushed
  13. dip — to sink
  14. tear — to rip
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ground — a position
  18. staff — employees
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — employees
  24. bat — the animal

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