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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: chest · ground · season · ruler · wave · pitcher · bore · chair

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. season — in sport
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — of the year
  9. ground — a position
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chest — a box
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ruler — a monarch

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