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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. chair — a leader
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — a face
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. wake — a trail
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. roll — a list
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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