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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: ruler · bore · key · row · coach · charge · foot · tear

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bore — to tire
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — electricity
  9. row — to paddle
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to drill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — in music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. charge — in control
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. key — for a lock
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — a price
  23. row — a line
  24. key — the most important part

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