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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 120 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: bore · drill · bat · plane · ruler · cabinet · row · mark

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. row — a line
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bat — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mark — a trace
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — to paddle
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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