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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. field — for sport
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. field — farmland
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. spring — the season
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cue — for pool
  23. field — a subject
  24. cue — a signal

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