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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. net — in sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. drill — a practice
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. object — an aim
  16. drill — the tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — a thing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. object — to protest
  22. net — after costs
  23. root — the cause
  24. drill — army training

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