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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: wave · dip · cabinet · ruler · roll · bore · drill · kid

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. drill — army training
  10. roll — a cake
  11. kid — to tease
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. roll — a list
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — child
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cabinet — ministers

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