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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. drill — army training
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — a practice
  5. row — a line
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fine — high quality
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — for digging

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