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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bound — certain
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. spell — letters
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. ground — a position
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. dip — to sink

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