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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rash — hasty
  6. court — of law
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. hand — in cards
  10. file — a tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — a series
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — for sport
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. court — of a king
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. file — a document
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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