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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · ruler · toast · drill · mouse · calf

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chair — a leader
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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