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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cue — a signal
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. cue — a hint
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. last — to go on
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. drill — army training
  24. coach — a trainer

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