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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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468
Word bank
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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bear — the animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pit — a hole
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sports field

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