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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · scale · mouse · spell · pit · wound · drill · land

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. drill — army training
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — ground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. scale — in music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spell — letters

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