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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: drill · rule · bore · scale · stick · chip · shower · mouse

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rule — government
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. scale — in music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chip — to eat
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. drill — army training
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. shower — rain
  22. bore — to drill
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bore — gave birth

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