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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 120 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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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 — a monarch
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — the fish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kid — to tease
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — a container
  23. bass — low music
  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