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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. shower — rain
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. shower — to wash
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. file — a document
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. object — an aim

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