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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a line of people
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. spring — the season
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. swing — music
  21. file — a document
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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