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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. firm — decided

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