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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — happening now
  5. suit — to fit
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hand — in cards
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. drill — army training
  12. fall — the season
  13. suit — in cards
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — a practice
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. hand — help

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