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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. last — to go on
  2. present — there
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bore — to tire
  6. present — the time now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — a committee
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — to get on
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — a practice
  16. present — a gift
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. drill — army training
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — to drill
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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