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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: safe · bore · ruler · straw · fan · pitcher · stick · tube

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. safe — a strongbox

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