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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. charge — electricity
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — a price
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fine — all right
  8. charge — in control
  9. fall — the season
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cap — a hat
  13. march — music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — in cards
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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