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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: ruler · lie · land · bore · scale · hand · bass · spring

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — of water
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. land — a country
  11. spring — the season
  12. scale — size or range
  13. land — ground
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. hand — help
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. scale — in music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bass — low music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. land — to come down
  23. bass — the fish
  24. spring — a coil

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