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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: saw · ruler · rest · rule · field · sharp · mouse · bore

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bore — to drill
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rest — what's left
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bore — to tire
  18. field — farmland
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mouse — the animal

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