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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — army training
  4. press — a publisher
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. drill — a practice
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — the tool
  16. shower — to wash
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. press — to push
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. staff — employees

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