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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 116 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. degree — temperature
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. charge — a price
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — to get on
  24. degree — from a university

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