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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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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: racket · ruler · patient · perch · foot · tube · last · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. perch — the fish
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. last — final
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. last — finally
  12. tube — a container
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. last — to go on
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. tube — the underground
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. patient — a sick person

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