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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. drill — army training
  10. root — the cause
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bound — obliged
  17. root — of a plant
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — a break
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — completely

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