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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. degree — temperature
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fine — all right
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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