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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ball — a dance
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. last — final
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — to drill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. last — to go on
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. last — finally
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. vault — a safe

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