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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · ruler · object · season · bore · pit · nail · press

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. object — a thing
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — newspapers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — an aim
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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