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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: rock · bore · rule · rush · saw · foot · object · racket

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — to protest
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. object — a thing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rule — government
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rock — a stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — music
  24. racket — for tennis

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