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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: game · mark · rush · bore · tube · ball · squash · ruler

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — a trace
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. game — a match
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. game — wild animals
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mark — a grade

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