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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 120 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: tube · bore · stick · calf · ruler · chair · march · drill

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. march — the month
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. chair — a leader
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — the tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. march — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — army training

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