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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: bore · march · tear · pop · squash · ruler · vault · clip

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. march — the month
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. march — music
  9. clip — a video
  10. pop — soda
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bore — to drill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pop — music
  15. clip — to cut
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bore — to tire
  18. march — the month
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. tear — from crying
  22. clip — for paper
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pop — to visit

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