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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chip — to eat
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — a gift
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — for betting
  19. present — the time now
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. present — there
  24. safe — a strongbox

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