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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.

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: bore · rash · ruler · racket · fan · bowl · ball · perch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bore — to drill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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