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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitch — completely
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. root — of a word
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. tube — a container
  20. root — the cause
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. rest — a break

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