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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 116 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: wave · mate · ruler · drill · object · pop · rush · hand

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mate — a partner
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. drill — army training
  8. hand — help
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. object — to protest
  14. mate — to breed
  15. object — a thing
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — an aim
  19. rush — hurry
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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