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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: mug · pit · pound · row · sharp · drill · ruler · plane

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pit — in a race
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. drill — army training
  8. row — a line
  9. pit — a hole
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mug — a face
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — to paddle
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mug — to rob
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. drill — the tool

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