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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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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: bore · foot · bear · file · pitch · ruler · squash · wave

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. file — a tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bear — the animal

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