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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. bat — the animal
  7. last — final
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. last — finally
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. court — for sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. court — of a king
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. last — to go on

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