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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — a committee
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — high quality
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. board — to get on
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — a cup
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — a face
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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