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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: mug · ruler · pit · racket · ground · wake · present · wound

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ground — a position
  3. wound — an injury
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pit — in a race
  13. present — there
  14. wound — an injury
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. mug — a face
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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