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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: cold · ruler · bore · cabinet · net · dip · mark · stand

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bore — to drill
  8. net — in sport
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bore — to tire
  17. net — after costs
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cold — an illness
  21. net — for catching
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — to pay attention

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