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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. firm — steady
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fine — all right
  13. file — a document
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — decided
  17. pit — in a race
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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