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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — child
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. object — a thing
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. object — to protest
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. track — a path
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. track — a song
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. kid — to tease
  19. track — to keep track
  20. band — a music group
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. band — a ring
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. deal — to handle

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