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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 116 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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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 · perch · straw · bore · patient · bank · chip · ball

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bore — to drill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. perch — the fish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chip — for betting
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. chip — to eat

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