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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 116 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. net — in sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. net — for catching
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. drill — the tool
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. net — after costs
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pitch — completely
  22. drill — army training
  23. chair — a leader
  24. saw — the tool

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