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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. swing — music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — to crush
  9. track — a path
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wound — an injury
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mug — a cup
  19. track — a song
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mug — to rob
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — a face
  24. ruler — a monarch

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