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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — army training
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chest — a box
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. game — a match
  14. suit — to fit
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. suit — in cards
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bore — to drill

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