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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — army training
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — decided
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ground — the earth
  9. press — newspapers
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rule — a law
  14. drill — a practice
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — steady
  18. rule — government
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — to push
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ground — crushed
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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