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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. club — a group
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. file — a tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a line of people
  18. club — for golf
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. club — for dancing
  22. file — a document
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wind — moving air

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