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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: straw · pit · drill · spell · temple · patient · press · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. press — newspapers
  5. drill — the tool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. spell — magic
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. drill — a practice
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. spell — a short time
  19. drill — army training
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spell — letters
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pit — in a race
  24. press — to push

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