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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: board · nail · foot · present · tube · pitcher · drill · ruler

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a committee
  7. drill — army training
  8. present — there
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — a practice
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. tube — a container
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — to get on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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