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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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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 · swing · bay · ruler · date · mouse · chair · rest

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rest — a break
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. swing — music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. drill — army training
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — the tool
  18. date — the fruit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chair — a leader
  22. swing — to play on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rest — what's left

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