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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: shower · ruler · mark · track · vault · charge · craft · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — boats
  11. track — to keep track
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. bore — to tire
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — a grade
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. shower — rain
  24. vault — a safe

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