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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 116 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: ruler · rash · wake · ground · perch · bore · can · pitcher

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — a series
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — a tin
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rash — hasty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. wake — a trail

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