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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. charge — a price
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wound — an injury
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. plane — an aircraft

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