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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: ruler · bore · mouse · stick · court · drill · wax · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. court — of law
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — for sport
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — of a king

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