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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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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: temple · drill · band · charge · ruler · present · straw · bore

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — in control
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. drill — army training
  10. present — the time now
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. band — a music group
  13. bore — to tire
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. present — there
  16. bore — to drill
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — a price
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a ring
  24. drill — the tool

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