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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: drill · bore · ruler · straw · bowl · capital · bear · hide

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — money
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bear — the animal
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. bore — to tire
  23. drill — army training
  24. bowl — a football final

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