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

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wound — an injury
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. row — a line
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. swing — music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. row — to paddle
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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