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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. present — there
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — to come down
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. land — ground
  12. kid — child
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — soda
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rest — a break
  24. land — a country

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