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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: toast · drill · ruler · ground · fine · arm · tear · pitcher

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. 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. tear — to rip
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — a position
  7. drill — army training
  8. tear — from crying
  9. toast — bread
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. tear — from crying
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ground — the earth
  16. drill — a practice
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — all right
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. 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