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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fall — the season
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fall — to drop
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — boats
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fall — to drop
  23. craft — a skill
  24. nail — on a finger

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