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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 116 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: bear · drill · ruler · present · racket · fork · pound · wind

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — there
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — the time now
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pound — a weight
  12. drill — a practice
  13. wind — moving air
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — army training
  24. wind — moving air

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