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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wound — an injury
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. object — a thing
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. row — a line

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