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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 · dip · mark · land · pitcher · ruler · board · mouse

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. land — to come down
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. drill — a practice
  10. mark — a grade
  11. land — a country
  12. drill — the tool
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ruler — a monarch

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