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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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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: fork · spring · ruler · rest · charge · press · bore · cap

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spring — a coil
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — in control
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — to push
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — a price
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cap — of ice
  15. press — a publisher
  16. spring — of water
  17. press — newspapers
  18. spring — the season
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bore — to tire

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