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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fine — high quality
  3. present — the time now
  4. hand — in cards
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. present — a gift
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — there
  16. fine — all right
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — to push
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. press — a publisher
  23. drill — army training
  24. ruler — a monarch

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