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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: present · fine · firm · wake · drill · ruler · bore · game

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fine — high quality
  3. game — a match
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. drill — army training
  7. game — wild animals
  8. present — a gift
  9. drill — a practice
  10. present — there
  11. bore — to tire
  12. wake — a trail
  13. drill — the tool
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. firm — steady
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. firm — decided
  22. present — the time now
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bore — to drill

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