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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: temple · chair · bore · sharp · racket · staff · ruler · wake

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bore — to tire
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. wake — a trail
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. staff — a stick
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bore — to drill
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. staff — employees

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