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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: bore · jam · nail · ball · march · cabinet · ruler · land

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. land — a country
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to tire
  9. march — the month
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. march — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. march — the month
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. land — to come down
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. land — ground
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — to drill

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