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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — low music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — the fish
  8. roll — a cake
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. file — a tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a list
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a line of people

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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