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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bark · hide · saw · rush · stand · bore · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stand — to bear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bore — to drill
  23. saw — the tool
  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