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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: bat · hide · track · fan · bore · straw · ruler · rest

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. track — a path
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rest — a break
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bore — to drill
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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