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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. net — for catching
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bore — to drill
  11. net — in sport
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. net — after costs
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — a monarch

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