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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. mug — a face
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wound — an injury
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. last — to go on
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — to rob
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. calf — a young animal

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