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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 · fine · present · rule · press · foot · ruler · wake

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. press — to push
  12. rule — a law
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to tire
  15. present — there
  16. press — newspapers
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wake — a trail
  19. present — the time now
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. present — a gift
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wake — before a funeral

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